The biggest surprise is how our readers greeted the idea of relaxing Oregon’s land-use laws to make way for more development. Considering the lopsided victory of Measure 37 last year, it’s striking that our readers appear more evenly split.
The biggest surprise in this month’s survey is how our readers greeted the idea of relaxing Oregon’s land-use laws to make way for more development. Of the 715 respondents to our online survey conducted by Conkling Fiskum & McCormick, 51% say they favor relaxing land-use laws, while 49% say they are opposed. Considering the lopsided victory of Measure 37 last year, it’s striking that our readers appear more evenly split.
Also notable is that while respondents say rising property prices have not propelled them and their businesses out of Oregon, Eric Fruits, senior economist with Portland-based economic consulting firm ECONorthwest, predicts that an exodus still will happen, but because of taxes, not property prices. “In the next few years, you’re going to see a flow of people across the river to do their business,” Fruits says, because the tax system in Washington is more beneficial to small professional firms. Ah, taxes. Watch this space in upcoming issues for an exploration of that second thing that no one escapes.
To participate in the Input survey, send an e-mail to [email protected].
Research conducted by Conkling Fiskum & McCormick.
